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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST. |
~J AM ES GARDNER, JR.
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BATTLES OF MBXICO-CAPTURE OF
THE CITY-
Report of Major General Scott*
No. 34. Headquarters of the Army, )
National Palace of Mexico, Sept. 18, 1817. 5
Sir :—At the end of another series of ardu
ous and brilliant operations, of more than for- j
ty-eight hours continuance, this glorious ar- |
my hoisted, on the morning of the 11th, the !
colors of ; the United States 011 the walls of this I
palace.
The victory oflthc 8 th, at the Molinos del
Rey, was followed by daring roconnoissanccs ;
on the part of our distinguished engineers— i
Capt. Lee, Lieuts. Beaurcguard, Stevens, and
Tow’er —-Major Smith, senior, being sick, and
Capt. Mason, third in rank, wounded. Their
operations were directed principally to the
south—towards the gates of the Piedad, San ,
Angel, (Nino Perdido,) San Antonio, and the |
Pasco de la Yiga.
This city stands on a slight swell of ground,
near the centre of an irregular basin, and is
girdled with a ditch in its greater extent —a
navigable canal of great breadth and depth—
very difficult to bridge in the presence of an
enemy, and serving at once for drainage, cus
tom-house purposes, and military defence;
leaving eight entrances or gates, over arches —
each of which we found defended by a system
Os strong works, that seemed to require noth
ing but some men and guns to be impregnable.
Outside and within the cross-fires of those
gktes, we found to the south other obstacles
btxt little less formidable. All the approaches
hear the city are over elevated causeways, cut
in many places (to oppose us) and Hanked, on
both sides, by ditches, also of unusual dimen
sions. The numerous cross-roads are flanked,
in like manner, having bridges at the inter
sections. recently broken. The meadows thus
checkered, are, moreover, in many spots, un
der water or marshy ; for, it will be remem
bered, we were in the midst of the wet season,
though with less rain than usual, and we could
not wait for the fall of the neighboring lakes
and the ■ consequent drainage of the wet
grounds at the edge of the city—the lowest in
the whole basin.
After a close personal survey of the south-
C n gates, covered by Pillow’s division and Ri
ley’s brigade of Twiggs’ —with four times our
numbers concentrated in our immediate front
—'l determined, on the 11th, to avoid that net
work of obstacles, and to seek, by a sudden
inversion, to the southwest and west, less un
favorable approaches.
To economise the lives of our gallant offi
cers and men, as well as to insure success, it
became indispensable that this resolution
should be long masked from the enemy; and
again, that the new movement, when discov
ered, should be mistaken for a feint, and the
old as indicating our true and ultimate point
of attack.
Accordingly, on the spot, the 11th, I order
ed Quitman’s division from Coyoacan, to join
Pillow, by daylight , before the southern gates,
and then that the two major generals, with
their divisions, should, by night , proceed (two
miles) to join me at Tacubaya, Avhere I was
quartered with AVorth’s division. Twiggs,
with Riley’s brigade, and Captains Taylor’s
and Steptoe’s field batteries —the latter of 12-
pounders—vvas left in front of those gates, to
manoeuvre, to threaten, or to make false at
tacks, in order to occupy and deceive the ene
my. Twiggs’s other brigade (Smith’s) was
left at supporting distance, in the rear, at San
Angel, till the morning of the" 13th, and also
to support our general depot at Miscoac. The
stratagem against the south was admirably ex
ecuted throughout the 12th and down to the
afternoon of the 13th, when it was too late for
the enemy to recover from the effects of his
delusion.
The first step in the new movement was to
carry CVapultepec, a natural and isolated
mound, of great'elevation, strongly fortified at
its* base, on its acclivities and heights. Be
sides a numerous garrison, here was the mili
tary college of the republic, with a large num
ber of sub-lieutenants and other students.
Those works were within direct gun shot of
the village of Tacubaya, and, until carried,
we could not approach the city on. the west,
without making a circuit too wide and too ha
zardous.
In the course of the same night (that of the
11th) heavy batteries within easy ranges were
established. No. 1, on our right, under the
command of Capt. Drum, 4th artillert’, (re
lieved late next day, for some hours, by Lieut.
Andrews of the 3a,) and No. 2, commanded
by Lieut. Haguer, ordnance—both supported
by Quitman’s division. Nos. 3 and 4, on the
opposite side, supported by Pillow’s division,
were commanded, the former by Capt. Brooks
and Lieut. S. S. Anderson, 2d artillery, alter
nately, and the latter by Lieut. Stone, ord
nance. The batteries wore traced by Captain
Huger and Capt. Lee, engineer, and construct
ed by them, with the able assistance of the
young officers of those corps and the artillery.
To prepare for an assault, it was foreseen
that the play of the batteries might run into
the second day ; but recent captures had not
only trebled our siege pieces, but also our am
munition ; and we knew that we should great
ly augment both, by carrying the place. I
was, therefore, in no haste in ordering an as
sault before the works M ere well crippled by
our missiles.
The bombardment and cannonade, under
the direction of Capt. Huger, were commenced
early in the morning of the Pith. Before
nightfall, which necessarily stopped our batte
ries, we had perceived that a good impression
hadbeen made on the castle and its outworks,
and that a large body of the enemy had re
mained outside, towards the city, from an ear
ly hour, to avoid our fire, and to be on hand
on its cessation, in order to reinforce the gar
rison against an assault. The same outside
force was .discovered the next morning, after
our batteries had re - ipencd upon the castle,
by which we again reduced its garrison to the
minimum needed for the guns.
Pillow and Quitman had been in position
since early in the night of the 11th. Major
General Worth was now ordered to hold his
division, m reserve, near the foundry, to sup
port Pillow; and Brigadier General Smith, of
Twiggs’ division, had just arrived with his
brigade from Piedad, (2 miles,) to support
Quitman. Twiggs’ guns, before the southern
gates, again reminded us, as the day before,
that he, with Riley’s brigade and Taylor’s and
Steptoe’s batteries, was in activity, threaten
vn£ the southern gate*,, and there holding n
great pq»it of tho iUs.ic.in aimy on iht> uefeiir
fcve.
AVorth’s division furnished Pillow’s attack
with an assaulting party of some 250 volun
teer officers and men, under Captain McKen
zie, of the 2d artillery ; and Twiggs’ division
supplied a similar one, commanded by Capt.
' Casey, 2d infantry, to Quitman. Each of
those little columns was furnished with sca
ling ladders.
The signal I had appointed for the attack
j was the momentary cessation of fire on the
■ part of our heavy batteries. About 8 o’clock
in the morning of the 13th, judging that the
time had arrived, by the effect of the missiles
I we had thrown, I sent an aid-de-camp to Pil
low, and another to Quitman, 'with notice
| that the concerted signal was about to be giv
-1 en. Both columns now advanced with an
i alacrity that g’ave assurance of prompt suc
j cess. The batteries, seizing opportunities,
1 threw shots and shells upon the enemy over
the heads of our men, with good effect, par
ticularly at every attempt to reinforce the
j works from without to meet our assault.
Major General Pillow’s approach, on the
west side, lay through an open grove, filled
with sharp shooters, who were speedily dis
loged; when, being up with the front of the
attack, and emerging into open space, at the
foot of a rocky acclivity, that gallant leader
was struck down by an agonizing w’ound.—
The immediate command devolved on Briga
j dier General Cadwalader, in of the
| senior brigadier (Pierce) of the same division
; —an invalid since the events of August 19.
, On a previous call of Pillow, AVorth had just
! sent him a reinforcement —Col. Clark’s bri
i gade.
; The broken acclivity was still to be ascened
j ed,and a strong redoubt, midway, to be carried,
before reaching; the castle on the heights. The
advance of our brave men, led by brave of
ficers, though necessarily slow, was unwaver
ing, over rocks, chasms, and mines, and under
1 the hottest tire of cannon and musketry. —
j The redoubt now yielded to resistless valor,
and the shouts that followed announced to the
; castle the fate that impended. The enemy
\ w r erc steadily driven from shelter to shelter,
i The retreat allowed not time to fire a single
mine, without the certainty of blowing up
friend and foe. Those who at a distance at
tempted to apply matches to the long trains,
were shot down by our men. There was
death below', as well as above ground. At
length the ditch and wall of the main w'ork
were reached; the scaling-ladders were brought
up and planted by the storming parties; some
of the daring spirits first in the assault were
cast down—killed or wounded; but a lodg
ment was soon made; streams of heroes fol
lowed; all opposition was overcome, and sev
eral of our regimental colors flung out from
the upper walls, amidst long-continued shouts
and cheers, w’hich sent dismay into the capi
tal. No scene could have been more anima
ting or glorious.
Major General Quitman, nobly supported
by Brigadier Generals Shields and Smith [P.
F.,] his other officers and men, was up with
the part assigned him. Simultaneously with
the movement on the w r est, lie had gallantly
approached the southeast of the same works
over a cause-way with cuts and batteries, and
defended by an array strongly posted outside,
to the east of the works. Those formidable
obstacles Quitman had to face, with but little
shelter for his troops or space for manoeuvring.
Deep ditches, flanking the causeway, made it
difficult to cross on cither side into the adjoin
ing meadows, and these again were intersect
ed by other ditches. Smith and his brigade
had been early thrown out to make a sw’eep to
the right, in order to present a front against
the enemy’s line, (outside,) and to turn two
intervening batteries, near the foot of Cha
pultepec. This movement was also intended
to support Quitman’s storming parties, both
on the causeway. The first of these, furnish
ed by Twiggs division, was commanded in
succession by Capt. Casey, 2d infantry, and
Capt. Paul, 7th infantry, after Casey had been
severely wounded; and the second, originally
under the gallant Major Twiggs, marine corps,
killed, and then Capt. Miller, 2d Pennsylva
nia volunteers. The storming party, now
commanded by Capt. Paul, seconded by Cap
tain Roberts of the rifles, Lieut. Stewart, and
: others of the same regiment, Smith's brigade,
carried the two batteries in the road, took
some guns, with many prisoners, and drove
the enemy posted behind in support. The
New York and South Carolina volunteers
(Shields’ brigade) and 2d Pennsylvania vol
unteers, all on the left of Quitman’s line, to
gether with portions of his storming parties,
crossed the meadows in front, under a heavy
fire, and entered the outer enclosure of Cha
pultepec just in time to join in the final as
sault from the W’est.
Besides Majors Generals Pillow’ and Quit
man, Brigadier Generals Shields, Smith, and
Cadwalader, the following are the officers and
corps most distinguished in those brilliant op
erations : The voltigeur regiment, in two de
tachments, commanded, respectively, by Colo
nel Andrew’s and Lieut. Col. Johnstone—the
latter mostly in the lead, accompanied by Ma
jor Caldw’ell, Captains Barnard and Biddle,
of the same regiment— the former the first to
plant a regimental color, and the latter among
the first in the assault; —the storming party of
AVorth’s division, under Captain AlcKenziej 2d
artillery, with Lieut. Seldon, Bth infantry,
early on the ladder and badly w'ounded; Lt.
j Armistead, Gth infantry, the first to leap into
: the ditch to plant a ladder; Lieut. Rodgers of
the 4th, and J. P. Smith of the sth infantry
i —both mortally w’ounded; —the 9th infantry,
under Col. Ransom, who was killed while
gallantly leading that gallant regiment; the
loth infantry under Lieut. Col. Howard and
Alajor AVoods, with Captain Chase, whose
| company gallantly carried the redoubt, mid
way up the acclivity;—Col. Clarke’s brigade
j (AVorth’s division) consisting of the sth, Bth,
and part of the Gth regiments of infantry,
commanded, respectively, by Capt. Chapman,
i Alajor Alontgomery, and Lieut. Edward John
son —the latter specially noticed, with Lieuts.
Lougstreet (badly w ounded —advancing—col-
ors in hand) Pickett, and Alerchant—the last
three of the Bth infantry;—portions of the
United States marines, New York, South Ca
rolina, and 2d Pennsylvania volunteers, which,
delayed with their division (Quitman’s) by
, the hot engagement below, arrived just in
time to participate in the assault of the heights
j —particularly a detachment, under Lieuten
ant Reid, New York volunteers, consisting of
a company of the same, with one of marines;
j and another detachment, a portion of the
storming party (Twiggs’ division, serving with
\ Quitman) under Lieut. Steele, 2d infantry—
after the full of Lieut. Gantt, 7th infantry.
In this connexion, it is but just to recall the
decisive effect of the heavy batteries, Nos. 1,
j 2,3, and 4, commanded by those excellent of
ficers—Captain Drum, 4th artillery, assisted
by Lieuts. Benjamin and Porter of his own
j company; Captain Brooks and Lieut. Ander
: son, 2d artillery, assisted by Lieut. Russell,
4th infantry, a volunteer; Lieuts. Ilagner and
I Stone, of the ordnance, and Lieut. Andrews,
3d artillery—the whole superintended by Cap
tain Huger, chief of ordnance with this army
—an officer distinguished by every kind of
merit. The mountain howitzer battery, under
j Lieut. Reno, of the ordnance, deserves, also,
to be particularly mentioned. Attached to
the voltigenrs, it followed the movements of
that regiment; and again won applause.
In adding to the list of individuals of con
spicuous merit, I must limit myself to a few of
the many names w hich might be enumerated;
Captain Hooker, , assistant adjutant gene
ral, who won special applause, successively,
in the staff of Pillow and Cudwallader; Limit.
Lovell 4th artillery, (wounded,) chief of Quit
man's staff; Gapt. Page, assistant adjutant
general, (wounded,) and Lieut. Hammond,
3d artillery, both of Shields’ staff, and Lieut.
Van Dorn, (7th infantry,) aid-de-camp to Bri
gadier Gen. Smith.
Those operations all occuired on the west,
southeast and heights of Chapultepec. To,
the north, and at the base of the mound, in
accessible on that side, the 11th infantry, un
der Lieut. Col. Hebert, the 14th, under Gol.
Trousdale, and Capt. Magruder’s field battery,
Ist artillery —one section advanced under Lt.
Jackson —all of Pillow’s division—had, at the
same time, some spirited affairs against supe
rior numbers, driving the enemy from a bat
tery in the road, and capturing a gun. In
these, the officers and corps named, gained f
merited praise. Col. Trousdale, the commaii- I
der, though twice wounded, continued on
duty until the heights were carried.
Early in the morning of the 13th, I repeated |
the orders of the night before to Major Gene- .
ral Worth, to be, with his division at hand, to
support the movement of Major General Pil
low from our left. The latter seems to have
called for that entire division, standing, mo
mentarily in reserve, and Worth sent him
Col. Clarke’s brigade. The call, if not unne
cessary, was at least, from the circumstances,
unknown to me at the time; for, soon observ
ing that the very large body of the enemy, in
the road in front of Major General Quitman’s
right, was receiving reinforcements from the
city—less than a mile and a half to the cast —
I sent instructions to Worth, on our opposite
ffank, to turn Chapultepec with his division,
and to proceed, cautiously, by the road at its
northern base, in order, if not met by very su
perior numbers, to threaten or to attack,in rear,
that body of the enemy. The movement, it
was also believed, could not fail to distract and
to intimidate the enemy generally.
Worth promptly advanced with his remain
ing brigade. Col. Garland’s —Lieut. Col. C.
F. Smith’s light battalion, Lieut. Col. Dun
can’s field battery —all of his division —and
three squadrons of dragoons, under Major
Sumner, which I had just ordered up to join
in the movement.
Having turned the forest on the west, and
arriving opposite to the north centre of Cha
pultepec, Worth came up with the troops in
the road, under Col. Trousdale, and aided by
a flank movement of a part of Garland’s brig
ade in taking the one-gnu breastwork, then
under the fire of Lieut. Jackson’s second of
Captain Magruder’s field battery. Continu
ing to advance, this division passed Chapul
tepec, attacking the right of the enemy’s line,
resting on that road, about the moment of the
general retreat consequent upon the capture
of the formidable castle and its out works.
Arriving some minutes later, and mounting
to the top of the castle, the whole field, to the
east, lay plainly under my view.
There are two routes from Chapultepec to
the capital the one the right entering the
same gate, Belen,with the road from the south,
via Piedad; and the other obliquing to the
left, to intersect the great western, or San
Cosme road, in a suburb outside of the gate of
San Cosine.
Each of these routes (an elevated causeway)
presents a double roadway on the sides of an
adueduct of strong masonry, and great height,
resting on open arches and massive pillars,
which, together, afford fine points both for at
tack and defence. The sideways of both aque
ducts are, moreover, defended by many strong
breastworks at the gates, and before reaching
them. As we had expected, we found the
four tracks unusually dry and solid for the
season.
Worth and Quitman were prompt in pursu
ing the retreating enemy—the former b y the
Sun Cosme aqueduct, and the latter along
that of Belen. Each had now advanced some
hundred yards.
Deeming it all-important to profit by our
success, and the consequent dismay of the
enemy’s which could not be otherwise than
general, I hastened to despatch, from Chapul
tepec —first Clarks’s brigade, and then Cad
wallader's. to the support of Worth, and gave
orders that the necessary heavy guns should
follow. Pierce’s brigade was, at the same
time, sent to Quitman, and, in the course of
the afternoon, I caused some additional seige
pieces to be added to this train. Then, after
designating the 15th infantry, under, Lieut.
Col. Howard-Morgan,the colonel,had been dis
abled wound at Churubusco—as the gar
rison of Chapultepec, and giving directions
for the care of the prisoners of war, the cap
tured ordnance and ordnance stores,! proceeded
to join the advance of Worth, within the sub
urb, and beyond the turn at the junction of
the aqueduct with the great highway from
the west to the gate of San Cosme.
At the junction of roads, we first passed one
of those formidable systems of the city defen
ces, spoken of above, and it had not a gun!—a
strong proof —I, That the enemy had ex
pected us to fail in the attack upon Chapul
tepec, even if we meant anything more than a
feint; 2, That, in either case, we designed, in
his belief, to return and double our forces
against the southern gates a delusion
kept up by the active demonstration of Twiggs
: and the forced posted on that side; and 3, That
advancing rapidly from the reduction of Cha
pultepec, the enemy had not time to shift guns
—our previous captures had left him, com
paratively, but few —from the southern gates.
Within those disgaruished -works, I found
our troops engaged in a street fight against
the enemy posted in gardens, at windows and
on house-tops—all flat, with parapets. Worth
ordered forward the mountain howitzers of
Cadwalader’s brigade, preceded by skirmish
ers and pioneers, with pick-axes and crow
bars, to force the windows and doors, or to
burrow through walls. The assailants were
soon on an equality of position fatal to the
enemy. By 8 o’clock in the evening, Worth
had carried two batteries in the suburb. —
According to my instructions, he here posted
guards and sentinels, and placed his troops
under shelter for the night. There was but
one more obstacle —the San Cosme gate
(custom-house) between him and the great
square in front of the cathedral and palace—
the heart of the city; and that barrier, it was
known, could not, by daylight, resist our siege
guns thirty minutes.
I had gone back to the foot of Chapultepec,
the point from which the two aqueducts begin
' to diverge, some hours earlier, in order to be
near that new depot, and in easy communica
tion with Quitman and Twiggs as well as with
Worth.
From this point I ordered all detachments
and stragglers to their respective corps, then
in advance; sent to Quitman additional seige
guns, ammunition, entrenching tools; directed
Twiggs’ remaining brigade (Riley’s) from Pie
dad, to support Worth, and Captain Steptoe’s
field battery, also at Piedad,to rejoin Quitman's
division.
I had been, from the first, well aware that
the western, or San Cosme, was the less dif
ficult route to the centre and conquest of capi
tal; and therefore, intended that Quitman
should only manoeuvre and threaten the Be
: len or southwestern gate, in order to favor the
main attack by Worth —knowing that the
strong defences at the Belen were directly un
i der the guns of the much-stronger fortress,
: called the citadel , just within. Both of these
defences of the enemy were also within easy
supporting distance from the San Angel (or
• Nino Per dido) and San Antonio gates. Hence the
greater support, numbers, given to Worth V
movement as the niain attack. ’
Those views I repeatedly. In the course of the
day, centraunictfted to Major Gen. Quitman;
but, being in hot pursuit—gallant himself and !
ably supported by Brig. General Shields and
Smith—Shields badly wounded before Cha
pultepec, and refusing to retire—as well as by I
all the officers and men of the column-r-Quit
man continued to press forward, under flunk
and direct fires; —carried an intermediate bat
tery of two guns, and then the gate, before
two o’clock in the afternoon, but not without
proportionate loss, increased by his steady
maintenance of that position.
Here, of the heavy battery—4 th artillery—
Capt. Drum and Lieut. Benjamin were mor
tally wounded, and Lieut. Porter, its third in
rank, slightly. The loss of those two most
distinguished officers the army will long morn.
Lieuts. J. B. Morangne and Win. Canty,of the
[ South Carolina volunteers, also of high merit,
i fell on the same occasion—besides many of
our bravest non-commissioned officers and
men —-particularly in Capt. Drum’s vetern
I company. I cannot, in this place, give names
. or numbers; but full returns of the killed and
wounded of all corps, in their recent opposi
tions, will accompany this report.
Quitman, within the city—adding several
new defences to the position he had won, and
sheltering his corps as well us practicable—
now awaited the return of daylight, under the
the guns of the formidable citadel, yet to be
subdued.
At about 4 o’clock next morning, (Sept. 14,)
a deputation of the mjuntamiento (city council) ;
waited upon me to report that the federal
government and the army of Mexico had fled
from the capital some three hours before, and
to demand terms of capitulation in favor of the
church, the citizens,and the municipal authori
ties. I promptly replied, that I would sign no
capitulation; that the city had been virtually
in our possession from the time of the lodge
ments effected by Worth and Quitman the day
before; that I regretted the silent escape of the
Mexican army; that I should levy upon the
city a moderate contribution, for special pur
poses; and that the American army should
come under no terms, not —such
only as its own honor, the dignity of the TJ. S.
and the spirit of the age, should, in my opinion,
imperiously demand and impose.
For the terms, so imposed, I refer the de
partment to subsequent General Orders, Nos.
287 and 289, (paragraphs 7,8, and 9, of the lat
ter,) copies of which arc herewith enclosed.
At the termination of the interview with the
city deputation, I communicated, about day
‘ light, orders to Worth and Quitman to ad
vance slowly and cautiously (to guard against
treachery) towards the heart of the city, and to
occupy its stronger and more commanding
point. Quitman proceeded to the great plaza
or square, planted guards, and hoisted the
colors of the United S. on the national palace
—containing the halls of Congress and ex
ecutive apartments of federal Mexico. In this
grateful service, Quitman might have been
anticipated by Worth, but for my express or
ders, halting the latter at the head of the Ala
meda, (a green park,) within three squares of
that goal of general ambition. The capital,
however, was not taken by any one or two
corps, but by the talent, the science, the gal
lantry, the prowess of this entire army. In
the glorious conquest, all had contributed—
early and powerfully —the killed, the wounded,
and the Jit for duty —at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo,
Contreras, San Antonio, Churubusco, (three
battles,)* the Molinos del Rey, and Chapultepec
—as much as those who fought at the gates of
Belen and San Cosme.
: Soon after we had entered, and were in the
act of occupying the city, a fire was opened
upon us from the flat roofs of the houses, from
windows and corners of streets, by some 2,000
convicts liberated the night before by the fly
ing government —joined by, perhaps, as many
Mexicans soldiers, who had disbanded them
selves and thrown off their uniforms. This
unlawful war lasted more than twenty-four
hours, in spite of the exertions of the muni
cipal authorities, and was not put down till we
had lost many men, including several officers,
killed or wounded, and had punished the mis
creants. Their objects w ere, to gratify nation
al hatred, and, in the general alarm and con
fusion, to plunder the wealthy inhabitants—
particularly the deserted houses. But families
• are now generally returning; business of every
kind has been resumed, and the city is already
tranquil and cheerful, under the admirable
conduct (with exceptions very few and trifling)
of our gallant troops.
This army has been more disgusted than
surprised that, by some sinister process on the
part of certain individuals at home, its num
bers have been, generally, almost trebled in
our public papers—beginning at Washington.
Leaving, as we all feared, inadequate gar
risions at Yera Cruz, Perote, and Puebla —
with much larger hospitals; and beieg obliged,
most reluctantly, from the same cause (general
paucity of numbers) to abandon Jalapa, we
marched [August 7-10] from Puebla with only
10,738 rank and file. This number includes
the garrison of Jalapa, and the 2,429 men
brought up by Brig. General Pierce, August
6th.
At Contreras, Churubusco, &c., [August 22,]
wc had but 8,497 men engaged—after deduc
ing the garrison of San Augustin, (our general
depot.) the intermediate sick and the dead; at
the Molinos del Rey (September 8) but three
brigades, with some cavalry and artillery—
making in all 3,251 men —were in the battle;
in the two days—Sept. 12 and 13—our whole
operating force, after deducting, again, the re
cent killed, and sick, together with the gar
rison of Miscoac (the then general depot) and
that of Tacubaya, was but 7,180; and, finally,
• after deducting the new garrison of Chapulte
pec, with the killed and wounded of the two
days, we took possession (Sept. 14) of this great
capital with less than 6,000 men! And I
reassert,upon accumulated and unquestionable
evidence, that, in not one of those conflicts,
was this army opposed by fewer than three
and a half times its numbers—in several of
them, by a yet greater excess.
I recapitulate our losses since wc arrived in
the basin of Mexico:
August 19, 20. — Killed, 137, including 14
officers. Wounded, 877, including 62 officers.
Missing, (probably killed,) 38 rank and file.
Total, 1,052.
September B.— Killed, 116, including 9 offi
cers. Wounded, 665, including 49 officers.—
Missing, 18 rank and file. Total, 789.
September 12, 13, 14. — Killed, 130, includ
ing 10 officers. Wounded, 703, including 68
officers. Missing, 29 rank and file. Total, 862.
Grand total of losses, 2,703, including 383
officers.
On the other hand, this small force has
beaten on the same occasions, in view of their
capital, the whole Mexican army, of (at the
beginning) thirty-odd thousand men—posted,
always, in chosen positions, behind entrench
ments, or more formidable defences of nature
and art; killed or wounded, of that number,
more than 7,000 officers and men; taken 3,730
prisoners, one-seventh officers, including 13
generals, of whom 3 had been presidents of
this republic; captured more than 20 colors
and standards, 75 pieces of ordnance, besides
57 wall-pieces, 20,000 small arras, an immense
quantity of shots,-shells, powder, &c., &c.
Os that enemy, once so formidable in num
bers, appointments, artillery, &c., twenty-odd
thousand have disbanded themselves in des
! pair, leaving, as. is known, not more than
three fragments—the largest about 2,500 —
now wandering in different directions, without
( . magazines or a military chest, and living at
free quarters upon their own people. -
General Santa Anna, himself a fugitive; is
r believed to be on the point of resigning the
■ chief magistracy, and escaping to neutral G ua
f temala. A new President, no doubt, will soon
be declared, and the federal Congress is ex- i
peeted to rc-assemble at Queretaro, 125 miles
north of this, on the Zacatecas road, some
i time in Oct ober. I have seen and given safe
conduct through this city to several of its
members. ’ The government will find itself I
without resources; no army, no arsenals, no •
magazines, and but little revenue, internal or
external. Still, such is the obstinacy, or rath- '
er infatuation, of this people, that it is very -
doubtful whether the new authorities will dare j ]
to sue for peace on the terms which, in the ! j
recent negotiations, were made known by our
minister.
******
In conclusion,! beg to enumerate,once more,
with due commendation and thanks, the dis
tinguished staff officers,-general and personal, j
who, in our l ist operations in front offhe enc- j
my, accompanied me,- ami communicated or- i
ders to every point ami-through every danger, j ,
Lieutenant Colonel Hitchcock, acting inspec- | 1
tor general; Major Turnbull and Lieutenant •
Hardens tie, topographical engineers; Major , i
Kirby, chief paymaster; Captain Irwin, chief
quartermaster; Captain Grayson, chief com
missary; Captain H. L. Scott, chief in the ad
jutant general’s department; Lieut. Williams,
aid-de-camp; Lieut. Lay, military secretary,
I and Major J. P. Gaiucs, Kentucky cavalry,
volunteer ald-dc-camp. Capt. Lee, engineer,
so constantly distinguished, a so bore impor
tant orders from me (Sept. 13) until he faint
ed from a wound and the loss of two nights’ !
sleep at the batteries. Lieutenants Beaure- i
I gard, Stevens, and Tower, all wounded, were j
j employed with the divisions, and Lieutenants i
! G. W. Smith and G. B. McClellan with the
company of sappers and miners. Those five {
: lieutenants of engineers, like their captain, |
; won the admiration of all about them. The j
i ordnance officers, Captain Huger, Lieutenants \
I Hagner, Stone, and Reno,, were highly effec- |
j tive, and distinguished at the several batteries; |
; and I must add that Captain McKinstry, as- j
j sistant quartermaster, at the close of the ope
-1 rations, executed several important commis
sions for me as a special volunteer.
Surgeon General Lawson, and the medical
staff generally, were skillful and untiring in
and out of fire, in ministering to the numer
ous wounded.
To illustrate the operations in this basin, I
enclose two beautiful drawings, prepared un
der the directions of Major Turnbull, mostly
from actual survey.
I have the honor to be, sir, with high re
spect, your most obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
The Hon. Wm. L. Marcy,
Secretary of War.
Augusta, (Georgia.
SUNDAY MORNING, NOV. 21.
A Professorship of Agricultural Chemis
try-
In the notice by our Milledgeville correspon
dent of Dr. Church’s report, read before the
Senatus Academicus, the recommendation in
that report of a Professorship of Agricultural
Chemistry to be attached to our State Univer
sity was specially referred to; and it was men
tioned that a member of the Legislature would
; bring in a bill for that purpose. Since then,
j Mr. Shockley of Columbia, the member re
ferred to, has brought in such a bill, and it is
now before the House. It may not be amiss
here to state, that this movement on the part
I of Mr. S. was not suggested by the report of
the President of the College. It had been
long contemplated by that gentleman, and
discussed, as a measure in a high degree desira
i ble for the best interests of the State,
i We hope it will receive a cordial support.
It is calculated to elevate the occupation of
; the planter to its legitimate position in the
' estimation of society —to shed upon it the
light of science, and to make it fruitful of in
i' terest and amusement to the most enlightened
minds. It will also contribute greatly to the
i productive wealth of our soil, and will thus
t repay an hundredfold the fostering care of the
State.
The Life of Henry the Fourth-
We have received from Harper & Brothers,
through their Agent, T. Richards of this city,
parts three and four of this very interesting
work, by the distinguished novelist, G. P. R.
James.
The City Council of Washington, D. C.
have passed a resolution expressive of their
regret at the death of Capts. James Graham,
Charles Hanson and S. H. Walker, all resi
dents, and two of them natives of that city;
and of their respect for the memory of the gal
lant dead. The members of the two Boards
will wear crape for thirty days as a further
evidence of their regard for the deceased.
Mr- Freeman’s Resolutions-
The Milledgeville Federal Union of Friday
last, says—-“4)n Wednesday a spirited discus
sion on these resolutions (the same in substance
as Mr. Dunagan’s of the Senate,) unexpectedly
took place in the House. Mr. Harris of Bald
win, moved to refer them to the committee on
Federal relations. Mr. Freeman opposed the
motion and contended that they should be re
ferred to the committee of the whole House.
Mr. Jackson favored the reference to the com
mittee on federal relations, because that could
present a unanimous report on so much of the
resolutions as relate to the Wilmot Proviso, and
on which the House should present an undivid
ed front, and the minority could present their
report upon those topics upon which a diversi
ty of opinion might be expected. Mr. Pinkard i
and Mr. Bailey, contended that if Mr. Harris’
motion prevailed, that a part, if not the whole
of the resolutions, would be stifled, that the
House would not have an opportunity of act
ing upon them, and of giving a direct vote
upon the several subjects embraced in them.
He therefore strenuously urged a reference
to the committee of the whole House. At
the close of Mr. Bailey's remarks, the House
adjourned.
On Thursday morning, the subject was re
sumed but without any fursher discussion and
without a division,the resolutions were referred
to the committee on the state of the Republic. ;
In the Senate, there was an effort uncere
moniously, to kill Mr. Dunagan s resolutions.
They are the order of the day for the 26th,
when if there is no dodging, the people may
learn something of the principles of Georgia
Whigs.
“That Blank Vote- ’
The question is frequently asked, “who gave
that blank vote in the election of Mr. Berrienr”
The constituents of more than one member of
the Legislature, have an interest in the answer
to. the question. That honor may be rendered
to whom honor is due, and that constituent*
and Representatives may have the data by
which they may be enabled to adjust their
mutual accounts, it is announced, upon au
thority which is not hero contradicted, that
“that blank vote," was cast by Mr, David
Zachary , of the county of Heard. If it be claim
ed by any other, his title should now be estab
lished, or he forever after remain silent. Un
less we mistake the signs of the times, the day
is not far distant, when “that blank vote” will
be in great requisition.— Milledgeville Federal
Union,
GEORGIA I»BG-ISL ATO RE.
IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Wednesday, Xov. 17th, 1817.
Mr. Barton laid upon the table, a resolution
in relation to the appointment of a Joint Com
mittee, to take into consideration the project
of Mr. Whitney to connect the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans by Rail Roads, which was
agreed to. Committee on the part of the
House, Messrs. Barton,Phillips, Ramsay, Jack
son and Tift.
A message was receive 1 from the Senate by
Mr. Crawford their Secretary, announcing that
they have passed the resolution relative to
Brig. Genl. Twiggs. A copy of which was
sent you a few days since.
Mr. Shockly introduced a bill to found and
establish in the University of Georgia, a Pro
fessorship of Agricultural Chemistry,to endow
the same and for other purposes.
Mr. Freeman introduced a bill to authorise
the Director of the Central Bank of Georgia,
and in certain cases the Treasurer of this
State, to dispose of certain insolvent or una
vailable assets of said Bank for the benefit of
the State.
IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, Nov. 18, 1847/ r
Bills Introduced.
By Mr. Harris of Baldwin; To amend thrf
act to incorporate the Milledgeville Turnpike
or Rail Road Company, &c.
Also, a bill amendatory of an act of 1845,
organizing the Supreme Court, so far as to de
clare who may be parties plaintiff to writs of
error.
This bill provides that it shall in no case bo
considered necessary to join with the parties
to the suit in the Superior Court carrying tho
case up to the Supreme Court by bill of ex
ceptions and writs of error, the security on
the appeal, or on any injunction on bond, and
that no writ of error shall be dismissed or de
layed on the hearing and decision, where the
parties to the writ or declaration below are
included in said writ of error.
By Mr. Darnall, to provide for the removal
of the seat of Government of this State, to the
town of Atlanta, and to provide for the erect
ing of the necessary buildings to accommodate
the General Assembly, State House and Exe
cutive Officers, and other purposes therein
mentioned.
To incorporate the Etowah Rail Road Com
pany, in Cass, Cherokee and other counties—
read first time and referred to the Committee
on Internal Improvements.
By Mr. Bartow, to authorise an increase of
the capital stock of the Marine and Fire In
surance Bank of the State of Georgia.
By Mr. Tift, to change the penalty of death
for crime committed by free white persons, to
imprisonment and labor in the Penitentiary
for life.
Also, a bill amendatory of an act 19th De
cember, 1818, pointing out the mode of col
lecting a certain description of debts therein
mentioned.
This bill points out the mode of collecting
debts against copartnerships. Cred tors may
proceed to sue at law at their option, the sur
vivor of said copartnership or the representa
tives of the estate of the deceased partner,
and shall by the judgement to be rendered,
bind and subject the individual estate of tho
deceased partner.
MILLEDGEVILLE, Nov. 18'.
Dear Sir .-—Above we hand you the pro
ceedings of the House for yesterday and to-day.
We are still unable to get a sight of the jour
nals of the Senate and must therefore decline'
making any further efforts to get the proceed- _
ings of that branch on the day of their date.
We are much indebted to the polite and
courteous attention of Col. Owen, Clerk of
the House, and his assistants, for their wil
lingness at all times to give us the use of their
journals, and shall continue to send you daily
the proceedings of the House bearing the date
of the journals. Yours,
REPORTERS.
Special Notices.
R. 8. DILL,
COMMISSION MERCHANT,
New Orleans.
Not. 19 —3m
BLACK & LAWSON,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW.
Will practice in ail the Counties of the Middle
Circuit. Any business entrusted to them will meet
with prompt attention. Address
Edward J. Black, Jacksonboro, G*.
John F. Lawson, Augusta, Ga. ly Nov. 18
[LT DR. J. A. S. MILLIGAN, will at
tend to the practice of Medicine and Surgery, in
Augusta and its vicinity.
Office in Metcalfs Range, up stairs. Entrance
one door below Mr. J. Marshall’s Drug Store.
, June 13 6m 215
JOHNSONS DAGUERREOTYPE.
ROOMS.
MR. C. E. JOHNSON has the honor to in
form his old patrons of last year, and the pub
lic generally, that he is again AT HIS OLD
STAND, over Messrs. Clark, Racket Sy Co.’s Jewelry
Store, where he is prepared to execute MINIA
TURES in a style superior to any thing he ha*
done heretofore.
Mr. J. thankful for the very liberal patronage of
last season, asks a continuance of the same,
Oct. 2*4 ~-3m
PLEASANT | STOVAL L.
Renews the tender of his services in the STO
AGE AND SALE OF COTTON AND OTU
ER PRODUCE, at his Fire Proof Warehouse
j Augusta, Ga., Aug. 4th, 1347. " ? 36 “